V-notching machine for corrugated board

ABSTRACT

A machine for cutting notches of V cross section in corrugated board. Plural spaced conveyor belts convey the corrugated board beneath a pair of transverse bridges which support cutter assemblies, each of which is transversely movable on its bridge. The cutter assemblies are vertically adjustable, and each includes a vertical plate and a pair of plates inclined at 45* to the horizontal extending perpendicularly to the vertical plate. Each inclined plate supports an electric motor, and has an aperture, the motor shaft extending through the aperture and carrying a cutter. The cutters cooperate to sever a longitudinally extending portion from a corrugated board carried by the conveyor belts, to provide a V-notch in the board.

United States Patent [19] Boy [ Oct. 7, 1975 V-NOTCHING MACHINE FORCORRUGATED BOARD [75] Inventor: Charles E. Boy, Cambridge, Md.

[22] Filed: May 9, 1974 [21] Appl. No.1 468,317

[52] U.S. Cl. 93/58.4; 83/5; 83/404.4; 144/136 R [51] Int. Cl. B31B l/22[58] Field of Search 93/584, 58 R; 83/5, 404.1, 83/404.4; 144/136 RHolan 144/136 R 3,690,356 9/1972 l-lolan 83/666 X Primary Examiner-RoyLake Assistant Examiner-James F. Coan Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Irvin A.Lavine [5 7 ABSTRACT A machine for cutting notches of V cross section incorrugated board. Plural spaced conveyor belts convey the corrugatedboard beneath a pair of transverse bridges which support cutterassemblies, each of which is transversely movable on its bridge. Thecutter assemblies are vertically adjustable, and each includes avertical plate and a pair of plates inclined at 45 to the horizontalextending perpendicularly to the vertical plate. Each inclined platesupports an electric motor, and has an aperture, the motor shaftextending through the aperture and carrying a cutter. The cutterscooperate to sever a longitudinally extending portion from a corrugatedboard carried by the conveyor belts, to provide a V-notch in the board.

16 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 1 of 33,910,170

FIG I US. Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 2 of3 3,910,170

N VSK US. Patent )ct. 7,1975 Sheet 3 of3 3,910,170

V-NOTCHING MACHINE FOR CORRUGATED BOARD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thepresent invention relates to a machine for cutting V-shaped notches incorrugated board being conveyed through the machine.

Containers for shipping and storing merchandise of various kinds havelong been made of material which may be generically designated as paper.The earliest such containers were made of paper board, being a singlelayer of material made from the depositing of cellulosic fibers from anaqueous slurry thereof onto a foraminous support. Later, there wasdeveloped corrugated board, in its earliest form being made up of threepaper sheets, consisting of an inner corrugated paper sheet and a pairof outer planar liners adhesively secured to the inner corrugated sheetor medium by adhesive applied to the tips of the corrugations.Subsequently, corrugated board was developed including first twocorrugated mediums interspersed between three planar liners, and thenthree corrugated mediums interspersed between four liners. As will beapparent, the strength of these materials was increased, with eachsuccessive development, and the containers made therefrom wereconsequently successively stronger.

.That is, corrugated board with a single corrugated medium was strongerthan paper board, and the double wall board and triple wall board, withtwo and three corrugated mediums, respectively, were each stronger thansingle wall board, having but one corrugated medium. These relationshipsof comparative strength are based upon comparable liner weights and thelike, as used in the paper board industry, it being recognized that itmight be possible to construct a triple wall board having lesserstrength than a single wall board in certain rare instances.

In the making of boxes, the board must be folded from its planar stateso as to have, in a conventional box, four walls, each wall being atright angles to the two walls adjacent to it. In order to accomplishthis folding, a common practice has been to simply crush the materialalong a desired line, in a typical regular slotted carton having astitching flap on one side to provide four parallel score lines. Thesescore lines are the lines along which the board is crushed, to permitthe necessary folding. The provision of score lines is a standardpractice in the box industry, and has been found to be satisfactory inconnection with paper board and single wall and double wall corrugatedboard. However, it has been found that for triple wall corrugated board,including three corrugated mediums, crushing to provide a fold line hasnot been satisfactory because of the bulk of material which iscompressed at the fold line.

It is known to provide a notch in board material, in Order to permit itto be folded, and a number of machines have been proposed to provide oneor more V- notches in board which is to be folded into a box orcontainer. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 442,738, Knife for Cutting andScoring Pasteboard there was provided a conveyor with a transversebridge or support above it, and a V-shaped knife adjustably supported ona carrier, which in turn could be moved into a selected transverseposition on the transverse bridge. Such a construction appeared to besuitable for socalled pasteboard" but would not be satisfactory forheavier material, such as triple wall corrugated board.

It has also been suggested, in a generally similar machine, to providerotary knives carried on adjustable holders, as disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 362,179 Apparatus for Grooving Card Board." A generally similardisclosure is contained in U.S. Pat. No. 1,940,106, Means for and Methodof Making Grooved Fibrous Board. These prior art disclosures all werefor generally light work, as compared to the cutting of V-notches intriple wall corrugated board, requiring an anvil below the cutters, andnot having any means for energizing the cutters, or causing the rotaryknives to rotate, other than the movement of the board itself.

In some instances, the provision of V-notches through the use of poweredrotary cutters have been proposed. In U.S. Pat. No. 175,892, pluralrotary cutters were provided for cutting a V-notch in a wood board, inorder to make a wood gutter, the rotary cutters being carried on shaftswhich were held by fixed supports, the shafts being belt driven from acommon power shaft. This arrangement did not provide for any adjustmentof the rotary knives, either transversely or vertically. In anothersuggestion, found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,335,767, a V-notch was obtained insiding for the construction industry in a machine having a pair of postsfrom each of which extended a transverse arm which was above theconveying means for the siding. Each arm carried a bracket in which wasmounted an electric motor, with its axis inclined, provision being madefor adjustment of the angle of the motor. On each motor shaft wasmounted a rotary saw, and the two saws cooperated together to cut aV-notch in the siding. This construction required the separateadjustment of each of the motors with its rotary saw, as to the angle ofinclination, its position along the transverse arm, and also requiredvertical adjustment of the transverse arm on its supporting post inorder to provide for vertical adjustment of the position of the rotarysaw or cutter. Thus, this arrangement required a substantial amount oftime in order to set up and adjust each motor and its rotary sawseparately. Further, this construction did not lend itself to anapparatus in which a plurality of parallel V-notches were to be made bya plurality of saw pairs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a machinefor cutting a plurality of notches of V-cross section in triple wallcorrugated board, which. is both strong and stiff. The machine includesa conveying system for conveying the board along a horizontal path: theconveying system includes a pair of spaced shafts each provided with aplurality of relatively small width pulleys, with a plurality ofconveyor belts, parallel to each other, with each conveyor belt trainedon a pair of pulleys. A pair of bridges extend over the conveyor beltseach includ' ing an upper and a lower transverse rod. On each bridgethere are two cutter assemblies: collars on the transverse rods permittransverse adjustment of the cutter assemblies. The cutter assemblieseach includes first and second plates which diverge from a commonjunction at to each other, each plate being at an angle of 45 to thehorizontal. An electric motor is supported on each of these plates, andhas the shaft thereof extending through an aperture in the plate, therebeing a rotary saw carried by the shaft. Thus, the two rotary saws areat substantially 90 to each other. The inclined first and second platesare secured to a vertical plate,

the vertical plate being provided with collars which en- 4 circlevertically extending guide rods. Vertical adjustment of the verticalplate and the entire cutter assembly, as a unit, is achieved through ascrew threaded rod engaging a nut fixed to the vertical plate.

Among the objects of the present invention are the provision of anapparatus for cutting V-notches in heavy duty corrugated board, toprovide such an apparatus which will hold rotary cutters in a firmmanner so as to achieve accurate notches, and to provide pluralrotating, motor driven cutters on a common support. A further object ofthe present invention is the provision of a V-notching machine providingfor ease of adjustment of rotary cutters, as a unit, both vertically andlaterally. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide aV-notching machine utilizing plural belts, and not requiring an anvilbeneath the rotary cutters.

Other objects and the attendant advantages of the present machine willbe readily understood from the following description and the drawingsappended hereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a plan view, with portionsremoved, of a machine in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of corrugated board having a V-notchcut by the machine of FIGS. 14.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings,wherein like or corresponding reference numerals are used for like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 a V-notching machine in accordance with the presentinvention. The machine 10, as shown in FIG. 2, includes supporting legs11 and 12, which support the frame 13 shown in FIG. 1. The frame 13supports a first shaft 14 and a second shaft 16, both shafts having aplurality of spaced pulleys thereon. For example, there is shown pulleys14a 14d on the shaft 14 and pulleys 16a 16d on the shaft 16. The axiallength of each pulley is in the order of three inches, and the overallwidth of the machine is in the order of nine feet, for a machineconstructed in accordance with the invention. The pulleys 14a, 16a havea diameter of approximately 6 /2 inches, and are crown pulleys, toprovide adequate belt guidance. A plurality of belts 17 are provided,each belt being trained over a pair of the pulleys. Shaft 16 is drivenfrom motor drive 20 (FIG.2) through gear 18. The motor drive 20 iscontrolled by a control panel 19 which includes known, conventionalcontrol devices which control all of the electric motors included in theapparatus 10. Completing the conveying apparatus are a pair of idlerrolls 21 and 22 which are carried by the frame 13 and extendtransversely of the belts 17, from side to side of the machine 10. Theseidler rolls serve to hold the corrugated board down, against the belts17.

A pair of supports in the form of bridges 25 and 26, which aresubstantially identical, extend above and transversely across theconveyor formed by the belts 17. As seen in FIG. 2, the bridge 25includes a beam 27,

an upper rod 28 of cylindrical cross section and a lower rod 29 ofcylindrical cross section, the beam and rods all being parallel andhorizontal, and being above the conveyor. Mounted on each of the bridgesof the apparatus 10 are a pair of substantially identical supports 30.The supports 30 may be moved transversely on the bridges, and positionedin selected transverse positions on the bridges.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, there may be seen the rods 28 and 29. Onthe rod 28 are a pair of collars 31 and 32, connected by a transverseconnector member 33. Similarly, slidable on the rod 29 are a pair oflower collars 34 and 36, with a connector member 37 therebetween. A pairof vertical connectors 38 and 39 serve to connect the collars 31 and 34,and 32 and 36, respectively. There is thereby provided a frame, andsupported by this frame are a pair of vertical guide rods 41 and 42. Theconnector member 33 carries a forwardly projecting bearing 43, in whichis rotatably mounted a threaded shaft having a turn wheel 46. A verticalplate 47 has an upper collar 48 and a lower collar 49 on the guide rod41, and similar collars (not shown) are in sliding engagement with theguide rod 42. The plate 47 also carries a nut 51 into which the threadedrod 44 extends, for vertically adjusting the plate 47 and the elementscarried by it, as described below.

The plate 47 has joined to and extending from it a first inclined plate52 and a second inclined plate 53, which plates are integrally joined ata juncture line 54 which extends horizontally above the conveyor.

The first plate 52 is provided with an aperture (not shown) throughwhich extends the shaft 54 of an electric motor 56, which is secured tothe first plate 52 by suitable bolts 58 which extend through the firstplate 52 and into the motor 56. Similarly, the second plate 53 has anaperture therein through which extends the shaft 55 of a motor 57, motor57 being secured to the second plate 53 by bolts 59.

On the shaft 54 of electric motor 56 is a rotary saw blade 61, while onthe shaft 55 of the motor 57 is a rotary saw blade 62. The first andsecond plates 52 and 53 extend at substantially 90 to each other, being45 to the horizontal. They consequently support the motors 56 and 57with their axes and their shafts 54 and 55 in planes which are at rightangles to each other, and as will be understood, the rotary saws 61 and62 are similarly in planes which are substantially perpendicular to eachother. The rotary saws 61 and 62 are so positioned that they cut aV-notch in a corrugated board being transported on the conveyor of theapparatus 10.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there is seen a corrugated board of the triplewall type, designated 80, and including three corrugated mediums 81, 82and 83 between planar liners 84, 85, 86 and 87. When the corrugatedboard is to be used as a box, it must be folded, and to effect thisfolding, a V-notch 90 is cut into it, so that there are thereby providedtwo portions of the corrugated board 80 separated by the notch 90, sothat the two portions may be pivoted or rotated, relative to each otherso that those two portions lie in substantially perpendicular planes. Toprovide the desired strength and rigidity, the material forming the twowalls of the longitudinally extending notch 90 should be in substantialengagement when the corrugated board is folded to form a box orcontainer, and for this reason, the walls of the notch 90 must be cutwith some degree of precision. This is accomplished through use of theapparatus described in FIGS. 1-4 hereof.

The operation of the apparatus begins with the positioning of each ofthe cutter assemblies, which includes the two rotary saws 61 and 62,their motors 56 and 57, the first and second plates 52 and 53 and thevertical plate 47. Each cutter assembly is positioned both horizontallyand vertically. Thus, each of the cutter supports 30 on each of thebridges and 26 is moved to the desired lateral or transverse position,depending upon the width of the corrugated board which is to be providedwith the V-notches hereinabove described. The spacing between thevarious cutter assemblies will be detennined by the positions at whichthe notches are desired in the corrugated board, which in turn isdetermined by the size of the front, back and side walls of the boxwhich is to be made from the corrugated board. Thus, each of the cuttersupports 30 is shifted laterally on each of the bridges 25, 26, andsecured in the desired position. The vertical position of the rotarysaws 61 and 62, relative to the conveyor belts 17, is established bymanipulation of the turn wheel 46, to thereby raise or lower thevertical plate 47, the first and second plates 52 and 53, motors 56 and57 and the rotary saws 61 and 62.

Corrugated board is placed on the conveyor belts 17 .near the shaft 16,and is moved by the conveyor belts 17 towards the shaft 14, being heldagainst the conveyor belts 17 by the hold down rollers 21 and 22. Thecorrugated board is then cut with a notch 90, as illustrated in FIG. 5,by each of the cutter assemblies, of which there are four as is clearlyshown in FIG. 1. The lateral position and depth of cut of the rotarysaws or cutters having been adjusted, the desired depth and position ofthe notch 90 is achieved, it being apparent that the set up time for aparticular cutting job is minimal, and it further being appreciated thatonce a desired adjustment has been effected, the plural rotary saws ofeach assembly will be held firmly in the desired position, for effectingthe desired degree of precision for cutting of the several notches 90.

In addition, it will be appreciated that the provision of the commonsupport, including the plates 47, 52 and 53 for the two rotary saws 61and 62 provides for adjustment of the two saws as a unit.

It will be appreciated that by the utilization of a plurality of smallwidth belts 17, together with the rigidity of the triple wall corrugatedboard, the board is held sufficiently firmly during its passage alongits path on the conveyor belts 17 that the desired position of cut iseffected, while eliminating the use of anvils or backup rollers beneaththe cutter assemblies, thereby avoiding undue complexity of the machine.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made without departing from the spirit of the invention and thereforethe invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings anddescribed in the specification but only as indicated in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for cutting V-notches in corrugated board comprising:

a. means for conveying planar corrugated board along a horizontal path,

b. a support above said conveying means,

c. cutter means comprising:

i. a pair of rotary cutters,

ii. a pair of shaft means for supporting and rotating said cutters inplanes at substantially 90 to each other, iii. motor means for drivingsaid shaft means, and 5 d. means carried by said support and supportingsaid cutter means comprising a pair of planar support elementsindependent of said motor means at substantially 90 to each other and atto the horizontal, and each having a said shaft means extendingtherethrough, said planar support elements supporting said motor means.

2. The apparatus of claim ll, said conveying means comprising aplurality of individual conveyor belts, a pair of spaced, parallelshafts each having a plurality of pulleys thereon, each said conveyorbelt being trained over a pulley on each shaft.

3. The apparatus of claim 1,. said planar support elements being joinedto each other.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, said motor means comprising a pair ofmotors, and means securing each said motor on a said support element.

5. The apparatus of claim 1,. said motor means comprising a pair ofmotors, and means securing each said motor on a said support element.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, said planar support elements comprisingfirst and second plates integral at a junction line.

7. The apparatus of claim 6,, said motor means comprising a pair ofmotors, and means securing each said motor to a said plate.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, said last mentioned means furthercomprising a plate transverse to said path and said first and secondplates and having said first and second plates secured thereto.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, and means for moving said plates and cuttermeans transverse to said path.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, and means for securing said cutter meansin any of a plurality of selected positions on said support.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, and means for adjusting said cutter meanstransverse to said path.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, and means for adjusting said cutter meanstransverse to said path.

13. Apparatus for cutting V-notches in corrugated board comprising:

a. means for conveying a planar corrugated board along a horizontalpath,

b. a support extending transversely above said conveying means,

c. cutter means supporting means carried by said support and comprisingfirst and second plates joined to each other at a junction line andjoined to a third plate transverse thereto and to said path, said firstand second plates being at substantially 90 to each other and at 45 tothe horizontal,

d. cutter means carried by said supporting means comprising a firstshaft extending through said first plate and a second shafi extendingthrough said second plate and being in planes at 90 to each other, arotary cutter carried by each said shaft, and motor means for drivingsaid shafts carried by said plates.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, and means for adjusting said cutter meanstransverse to said path.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, said motor means comprising a first motorsecured to said first plate and 7 i 8 driving the first shaft and asecond motor secured to the pair of spaced, parallel shafts each havinga plurality of second plate and driving the second shaft. pulleysthereon, each said conveyor belt being trained 16. The apparatus ofclaim 13, said conveying means over a pulley on each shaft. comprising aplurality of individual conveyor belts, a

1. Apparatus for cutting V-notches in corrugated board comprising: a.means for conveying planar corrugated board along a horizontal path, b.a support above said conveying means, c. cutter means comprising: i. apair of rotary cutters, ii. a pair of shaft means for supporting androtating said cutters in planes at substantially 90* to each other, iii.motor means for driving said shaft means, and d. means carried by saidsupport and supporting said cutter means comprising a pair of planarsupport elements independent of said motor means at substantially 90* toeach other and at 45* to the horizontal, and each having a said shaftmeans extending therethrough, said planar support elements supportingsaid motor means.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, said conveying meanscomprising a plurality of individual conveyor belts, a pair of spaced,parallel shafts each having a plurality of pulleys thereon, each saidconveyor belt being trained over a pulley on each shaft.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 1, said planar support elements being joined to eachother.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, said motor means comprising a pairof motors, and means securing each said motor on a said support element.5. The apparatus of claim 1, said motor means comprising a pair ofmotors, and means securing each said motor on a said support element. 6.The apparatus of claim 1, said planar support elements comprising firstand second plates integral at a junction line.
 7. The apparatus of claim6, said motor means comprising a pair of motors, and means securing eachsaid motor to a said plate.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6, said lastmentioned means further comprising a plate transverse to said path andsaid first and second plates and having said first and second platessecured thereto.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, and means for moving saidplates and cutter means transverse to said path.
 10. The apparatus ofclaim 1, and means for securing said cutter means in any of a pluralityof selected positions on said support.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10,and means for adjusting said cutter means transverse to said path. 12.The apparatus of claim 1, and means for adjusting said cutter meanstransverse to said path.
 13. Apparatus for cutting V-notches incorrugated board comprising: a. means for conveying a planar corrugatedboard along a horizontal path, b. a support extending transversely abovesaid conveying means, c. cutter means supporting means carried by saidsupport and comprising first and second plates joined to each other at ajunction line and joined to a third plate transverse thereto and to saidpath, said first and second plates being at substantially 90* to eachother and at 45* to the horizontal, d. cutter means carried by saidsupporting means comprising a first shaft extending through said firstplate and a second shaft extending through said second plate and beingin planes at 90* to each other, a rotary cutter carried by each saidshaft, and motor means for driving said shafts carried by said plates.14. The apparatus of claim 13, and means for adjusting said cutter meanstransverse to said path.
 15. The apparatus of claim 13, said motor meanscomprising a first motor secured to said first plate and driving thefirst shaft and a second motor secured to the second plate and drivingthe second shaft.
 16. The apparatus of claim 13, said conveying meanscomprising a plurality of individual conveyor belts, a pair of spaced,parallel shafts each having a plurality of pulleys thereon, each saidconveyor belt being trained over a pulley on each shaft.